At Least For Tonight
by RaeganBlack
Summary: Tonks figured that she could wait. At least for Tonight. One-Shot


**A/N: I got a plot bunny late last night and so I had to write it down. You know the drill, Read, Enjoy, Review. :) This is**

_At Least For Tonight_

_by Raegan Black_

_**Remus Lupin/ Nymphadora Tonks**_

Tonks stumbled into the Burrow late Saturday night after yet another patrol for the Order. All she wanted was a cup of tea and her bed. It was about two in the morning and she hadn't been able to get more than a couple hours of sleep over the past, or maybe it was three, days. She had been so exhausted that the days had started to blur together. She only knew that it was Saturday because the next day was the first day in three weeks that she didn't have work or things to do for the Order. She wasn't going to move out of her bed.

'But first,' she thought, 'that cup of tea.'

As she got closer to the kitchen, she heard a familiar tune coming from a wireless. It was a Muggle song, recognizing the lyrics.

Considering that her taste in music was often considered odd by most of the Order, she couldn't imagine who would be up this late, much less listening to Muggle love songs. That was when she heard a decidedly masculine voice softly singing along to the lyrics.

"She calls to speak to me, I freeze immediately, 'cause what she says sounds so unreal."

Tonks slipped into the kitchen as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb whoever was singing. She almost laughed when she saw Remus Lupin standing at the stove boiling milk. His back was to her so she took a moment to just take in the sight of him.

Most people would describe the werewolf as scrawny, but as she let her eyes travel over his scarred body, she could see the subtle tone of the muscles in his arms and back. His shoulders were broad, though his usually slouched demeanor hid that well. She figured that what scars he couldn't cover up and his prematurely greying hair might diminish his looks for some women, but Tonks could, secretly at least, admit that she found Remus Lupin beautiful.

'Yes, that's the word for him,' She thought with a small smile. He was scarred and sad, but undeniably beautiful. It was in the way that he would give Molly a small, reassuring smile when she fretted over his weight or was worried about the children. It was how he was always the first one to offer an understanding ear if someone needed to talk, then he would wait and listen patiently as you spilled all your worries and fears. He was never one to mock you, no matter how trivial your fears may seem, but would make some witty remark just to make you smile. Though as true as those things may be, Tonks didn't think she had ever met a more stubborn man. They'd been having the same argument for months now.

The fact was, Nymphadora Tonks had fallen head over feet, so much it hurts, in love with Remus John Lupin. The hardest part was that he loved her back. He'd admitted it almost a year ago, the night that Sirius died. She'd watch him hold himself together through everything that had happened immediately after, from having to physically stop Harry from racing through the veil after Sirius, to the emergency Order meeting which consisted of three hours where everyone was debriefed and deciding on extra patrols. Many of the Order had become known by the Death Eaters that night and it had taken away the anonymity that had helped them get so much information.

It wasn't until nearly sunrise that everyone had abandoned Grimmauld Place as Head Quarters. Tonks had caught up with Remus before he departed to the Burrow and offered for him to stay with her for the night. She had rambled on for a good two minutes, assuring him that it would be quiet and significantly less crowded, since Molly and Arthur had offered up the Burrow as temporary Head Quarters. In the end, all he'd said was that he should send the Weasleys a patronus telling them not to expect him that day.

They apparated to her rented flat in London and after a cup of tea and a couple of minutes of stinted conversation about sleeping arrangements, Tonks crawled into her bed, praying for oblivion. Unfortunately, it would become just the first many sleepless nights filled with images of a laughing Sirius falling through the veil and a screaming Harry as he watched the only father figure he had, one of his last connections to his parents slipped away forever. What haunted her the most though, was the utterly shattered look in Remus's eyes as he lost the last member of his family.

The sound of pacing coming from the living room pulled Tonks from the images that had swarmed her mind to her flat. As quietly as she could, Tonks slipped out of her bed and into the hall. She had ended up tripping, seemingly over nothing, into the living room. What she saw when she righted her balance nearly sent her stumbling again. She knew then that nothing could shatter her so completely than Remus Lupin with his hair sticking up in places like he'd been pulling at it, eyes tinted red, unable to stop the tears from rolling down his face. She had never seen anyone look so broken, so completely lost as he did right then. They just stared at each other, him standing there, his breathing heavy from the very physical pain of losing his best friend for a second, very permanent time. Tonks debated approaching him, unsure of what to say or do. Then his face crumbled and his gasp of "He was the only one I had left," had Tonks at his side in an instant. She wrapped her arms around him as one of the strongest men she knew fell apart. He buried his face in her neck as he clung to her. She felt like she was supposed to say something but knew that nothing would help, nothing _could _help, so she pulled him down to sit on the couch, fighting back her own tears.

After a while, he pulled away, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. He stumbled over his words, and Tonks never found out what he was trying to say. She just put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.

"You don't have to explain." She whispered. Remus just looked up with a humorless, self-deprecating smile, reaching up to cup her face in his palm. He slipped his fingers into her hair, leaning up to press his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment before she got her wits about her again and eagerly responded to the kiss. They had been dancing around this for so long, getting so close at times only to be interrupted.

Remus put his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Tonks tilted her head to deepen the kiss, pouring everything she had ever felt for him into it. Gasping, she leaned further into his arms when his lips went to her neck. He kissed and nipped his way down to her collarbone, sending delicious tingles through her nerve endings. She ran her fingers through his hair, holding his head where he was.

"I love you." He breathed against her skin. "I have loved you for so long. Please, Dora." He pulled her lips back to his for another scorching kiss.

"I love you, too." She swore. She never even thought of denying him. To her, this had been coming for _weeks _and she needed this worse than she could remember ever needing anything. She went to stand, pulling Remus along with her towards her bedroom. They barely made it two steps before she was turning around and throwing her arms around his neck and he was pulling her lips back to his. They stumbled their way back down the hall, never breaking the kiss. Remus kicked the door shut behind them before toppling them onto the bed.

They stayed there for the rest of the day, alternating naps and roving hands, equal parts lazy, loving and desperate, needy.

The next morning, Remus was gone. The only thing he'd left is a note, apologizing for leaving, claiming that she deserved so much more than he could ever offer her.

Tonks shook her head as she watched him go about making hot chocolate. He didn't understand. He had no idea that he was the best she could ever hope for, everything she'd ever wanted in a man. Remus Lupin was her very own "so much more".

"Wotcher, Remus." She said from her spot by the door, laughing when he jumped.

Remus turned around, his eyes wide. "Merlin, Tonks, when did you get here?"

Tonks grinned, taking a few steps into the kitchen. "Oh, a little while ago. Long enough to know that the esteemed Professor Lupin secretly listens to Muggle Pop music at two in the morning while making hot chocolate."

"I'm far from being an esteemed Professor, Nymphadora. As for the music, if certain young pink-haired witches wouldn't leave their records laying about, old men like me wouldn't happen upon them." He said, turning away to hide the grin that was stretching across his face.

Tonks grinned. "I left it here yesterday, for Ginny. How would that explain you already knowing all the words, hmm?"

There was no hiding the grin this time. "I may have heard it once or twice before." He turned to face her, holding out a mug to her. "I felt like a hot chocolate and I knew you'd be here soon. You once said that music helps you wind down after work. Hence why I put it on."

"Oh, so this is all for me?" She asked, walking to stand next to him, taking the mug from him. "You just knew that I'd come by the kitchen before going to bed?"

"I figured you would once you heard the music playing. If you didn't, I was perfectly prepared to drink both mugs by myself." He shot her a cheeky grin.

Tonks knew that things may not be exactly how she wanted them to be with Remus yet, but she could wait a little longer. She was perfectly content to settle for hot chocolate and witty banter at two in the morning, at least for tonight.

**A/N: I needed some Remadora, and I couldn't find any that I really liked that I haven't already read. So! Here it is! Read, Review, I hope you enjoyed it. **

**With all my love,**

**Rae**


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